I’m heading south tomorrow for the big shindig in Dunedin. And LittleDavyOne is taking a break from Typing and Tapestry studies at Balclutha Polytechnic to join me.

So it could be a famously disreputable weekend which we will never discuss with MrsDavy, or it could be a memory that we never ever discuss with anyone.

Because Shag’s gone all refresh on us, and named a bunch of newbies for the 3rd test against the Welsh.

Now, I’m willing to cut the Shagster a bit of slack. He’s nearly earned it. But but but.

George Moala starting at centre is some sort of admission that the midfield experiment hasn’t done the business, so let’s parachute in a maybe possible hopeful Hail Mary hero. But what if the problem wasn’t Fekitoa or Tamanivalu, but Crotty on the inside?

Jerome Kaino drops right out of the match day 23 for Elliot Dixon to start and Liam Squire on the bench. (Squire maybe deserves his place just to show off the full mullet to the fancy pantsy haircuts brigade.) Personally, I would have liked to see Ardie Savea start in place of Sam Cane to see if we could control the breakdown some time earlier than the 60th minute.

Good to see the hooker bench duties go to Codie Taylor, so that we’re strengthening the depth behind Dane Coles. There’s not a lot to separate him and Nathan Harris, so keep them both keen.

Look, I know that we’ve got look ahead to Australia and South Africa, but the whole balance of the team makes it look a bit like a trial game. Trying a few things because it doesn’t really really matter.